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The Communiqué News

Mumbai, India, October 5, 2023: Madame Tussauds Dubai is getting a new wax figure later this year, and the news is a red-carpet stunner! Madame Tussauds Dubai, the world's most famous wax attraction, is excited to introduce the much-awaited wax figure of Indian cinema's revered icon, Allu Arjun.


Swati Bhat

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Later this year, at a special event at Madame Tussauds Dubai, the six-time Filmfare Award winner, three-time Nandi Award winner, and most recently National Award winner—the first Telugu actor to receive this honor in 69 years—will reveal his wax figure and mingle with his likeness in person.

Allu Arjun's communiqué on getting the news that he had been selected for a wax figure at Madame Tussauds Dubai, “I visited Madame Tussauds in Los Angeles and was blown away by the experience! I can’t believe that now I’ll have a wax figure, I never would have believed it!”

Sanaz Kollsrud, General Manager of Madame Tussauds Dubai said,” Allu Arjun is without a doubt the biggest actor from the south of India. What better way to mark his incredible success than by giving the fans what they want – his first-ever wax figure! Our artists have been working with Allu on his likeness and we can’t wait to unveil the figure later this year!”

Andre Timmins, Director of IIFA (International Film Academy) said, “IIFA as a brand is all about taking Indian Cinema to the world and we are so proud of the addition to this journey we have shared with Madame Tussauds to bring the Indian Cinema stars closer to the fans. As we embark on getting ready to relaunch IIFA Utsavam – A celebration of South Indian Cinema, it is exciting to have one of the biggest and most respected Superstars of the millennium from this industry Allu Arjun, deservedly be the forthcoming star addition to Madame Tussauds Dubai.

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The 'King of Dance' is a famed Indian actor who is from the country's southern region. An iconic red jacket worn by him in the memorable boardroom dance scene of his film 'Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo' will be displayed on his figure. Allu Arjun, who has won over millions of admirers worldwide with his electrifying performances and unmatched dance skills, is the ideal addition to the renowned Madame Tussauds Museum.

In Dubai earlier this year, a "sitting," or meeting between the celebrity and the artists at Madame Tussauds, took place. As part of the customary, meticulous process required to construct one of the incredible wax figurines, more than 200 measurements were recorded.

The statue will be positioned in the stunning and engaging Bollywood Zone inside the tourist destination on Bluewaters.







28 September 2023: Khatija Rahman has released her debut album, "Kuhu Kuhu", as a tribute to the late music luminary Lata Mangeshkar on her birth anniversary.


The album, which also features the all-female Firdaus Orchestra, comprises renditions of Mangeshkar’s iconic songs such as,

“Piya Tose”, “Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha”, “Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya”,

“Bekas Pe Karam” and “O Sajna”


Swati Bhat

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Click the image to WATCH the Video


In honor of Lata Mangeshkar, one of the finest female musicians of all time, Khatija performs Kuhu Kuhu as a group.

The five-song collection, which features Mangeshkar's well-known songs like "Piya Tose Naina Laage Re," "Aapki Nazron Ne Samjha," "Kuhu Kuhu Bole Koyaliya," "Bekas Pe Karam," and "O Sajna," is a wonderful showcase for Khatija's beautiful vocals. The musician's goal in composing "Kuhu Kuhu" was to honor the ability, brilliance, and artistry of everyone who contributed to the creation of these musical treasures. Khatija extends her sincere gratitude through this release to the illustrious original composers, arrangers, and lyricists of these timeless songs, including SD Burman, Madan Mohan, Adi Narayana Rao, Naushad, Salil Chowdhury, Shailendra, Raja Mehdi Ali Khan, Bharat Vyas, and Shakeel Badayuni.

Kuhu Kuhu, which is released with SaReGaMa, was written as a joyful homage to Lata Mangeshkar and her eternal musical legacy. The remarkable Firdaus Orchestra, a project of Expo City Dubai, an all-female ensemble mentored by composer A.R. Rahman and supported by UAE Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation and CEO, Expo City Dubai Authority, is featured on this all-acoustic album while maintaining the songs' original essence.

About ‘Kuhu Kuhu’, musician Khatija Rahman communiquéd, “I began learning music in my teenage years. I had always marveled at Lata Mangeshkar ji’s artistry, but when my teacher introduced me to ‘Mughal-E-Azam’ and other songs was when I started to actually sing and record myself performing her songs. Since then, I’ve had a beautiful journey with Lata Ji’s music and I’ve enjoyed my moments of exploring her catalog. ‘Kuhu Kuhu’ is my tribute to Lata ji and a way of paying my respects to a musician who changed the world as we know it. Her positive message to me following my first single is what inspired this album.” She further added, “‘Kuhu Kuhu’ has also been largely possible due to Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy who has always been supportive of women in the arts. We’ve kept the sound of the album pure, rich, and live to capture the essence of the music from the retro years. I hope people find nostalgia, joy, and comfort in ‘Kuhu Kuhu’. Music has no cultural, national, or gender barriers, and your support means a lot to me.”

The "Piya Tose" music video is particularly noteworthy since it displays a symbolic image of international cooperation and representation. It shows Khatija performing with the amazing Firdaus Orchestra, which is made up of 54 female instrumentalists from 26 different countries. The UAE Pavilion in Expo City, Dubai, played the location host for the music video for Khatija, who believes in the power of limitless creative synergy — not just behind the scenes but also on the screen and stages.

In 2020, Khatija's maiden single "Farishton" was launched. Lata Mangeshkar called this young talent, spoke to her, and appreciated her skills. She also expressed her approval of the song. In honor of Mangeshkar's birthday, Khatija is now releasing a five-track CD.

Khatija Rahman's debut album showcases both her diverse vocal range and ongoing artistic growth. With her 2020 release, "Farishton," Khatija set the bar high by promoting equality, peace, and community in both the song and the Miyazaki-inspired fantasy setting of the music video. For the songs of hope and healing, "Ahimsa" and "Iltaja," Khatija also worked with the magnificent Irish rock band U2 and Grammy Award-winning composer Ricky Kej.

Global audiences have been captivated by her cinematic ballads from Ponniyin Selvan-2 and Iravin Nizhal. Khatija had her playback acting debut at the age of 14 with Enthiran, and ever since then, she has been carving out a remarkable career as a new-age artist who is rooted in innovation and creativity. The musician will then make her compositional debut with Minmini. The musician hopes that when Kuhu Kuhu is released, listeners will be taken back to their early years and will feel comfort and delight from the tribute CD.

With her innovative skills, the up-and-coming musician has been creating outstanding songs, including the Coke Studio India smash "Sagavaasi" with Arivu, "Rock A Bye Baby" with Julia Gartha from Mimi, "Pranama Pranama" with Vijay Yesudas from Maamannan, and more. Khatija has performed in a variety of musical genres, including classical, rock, hip-hop, and pop. The musician offers listeners a unique selection of old Bollywood songs in her debut CD.

















September 18, 2023: The album follows her spectacular performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Tuesday night, where she sang a rock version medley of her singles "Heart Attack," "Sorry Not Sorry," and "Cool for the Summer." TIME Magazine praised the performance as the night's best rock performance, saying, "Her powerhouse vocals brought down the house as she infused new energy into her well-known tracks."


Swati Bhat

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Click on the image to LISTEN


The 10-track album includes the previously released reimagined hits "Sorry Not Sorry (Rock Version) ft. Slash," "Heart Attack (Rock Version)," "Cool for the Summer (Rock Version)," and "Confident (Rock Version)," as well as new fan favorites including "Give Your Heart a Break (Rock Version) ft. Bert McCracken," "Neon Lights (Rock Version) ft. The Maine," "La La Land (Rock Version) ft. Nita Strauss," and more. The full tracklist is available below.

Demi reimagines her career-defining tracks with a fresh perspective that represents her current artistic vision on REVAMPED, which features entirely new vocals and production. Demi's artistic growth and versatility are on display in the re-recorded music, as she easily transitions her songs from pop to rock while preserving her characteristic strong vocals.

"With REVAMPED, I wanted to pay homage to the songs that resonated the most with fans and played a big role in my career by breathing exciting new life into them," Demi stated of the album. Making this project has been a lot of fun since it has allowed me to show my love for rock music in a new way, and it has brought me closer to my older music."

Demi originally played rock versions of some of the songs from REVAMPED during her 2022 HOLY FVCK Tour in support of her album of the same name. On Demi's HOLY FVCK Tour, her all-female band included Nita Strauss, one of rock music's most acclaimed guitarists. Demi returned to her rock and pop-punk origins on the critically praised HOLY FVCK, which contained hits "29," "SUBSTANCE," and "SKIN OF MY TEETH" and features from Yungblud, Royal & The Serpent, and Dead Sara. The album debuted at the top of three Billboard charts: Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, and Top Alternative Albums, earning her a nomination for Outstanding Music Artist in 2023.


REVAMPED TRACKLIST:


Heart “Attack” (Rock Version)

“Confident” (Rock Version)

“Sorry, Not Sorry” ft. SLASH (Rock Version)

“Cool For The Summer” (Rock Version)

“Tell Me You Love Me” (Rock Version)

“Neon Lights” ft. The Maine (Rock Version)

“Skyscraper” (Rock Version)

“La La Land” ft. Nita Strauss (Rock Version)

“Give Your Heart A Break” ft. Bert McCracken (Rock Version)

“Don’t Forget” (Rock Version)





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